TwistedBrooke
by riah alice drake
Summary: A twist in a spell gone wrong meant that when Ruby tried to jump between worlds so she could finally introduce her true love to Granny she ended up…. well she doesn't know where but one things for sure…. she defiantly Not in Storybrooke least, not the one she knows. Song Credit: Michelle Branch - Goodbye To You


The pounding inside her skull was unbearable. It seemed to get worse on every breath and beat of her heart. Ruby was sure that soon it would devour her completely.

"I don't know…. But she did hit her head pretty hard."

Ruby's ears perked up at the sound of the voice somewhere outside the pain crushing against her skull. Going by her tone Ruby guessed that Dorothy was alright or at the very least she didn't seem to be hurt as bad as Red had been by the harshness of their realm jumping from Oz to Storybrooke.

"…. Look we can argue about this later but right now we need to get her inside and make sure she's alright." Dorothy barked pulling Red's attention back to herself and to the pain in her head. "Now are you going to help me or not?" her girlfriend challenged pulling Red up from the ground under her arms while whoever she'd just bullied into helping her held her legs

"Cut it guys we need some help here," Dorothy yelled when Ruby groaned at the harsh jerking movement of being half dropped onto a solid surface. "Can you at least go get an ice pack or some aspirin?" the country girl asked talking louder over the din of the music still sending white-hot stabs of pain straight to Red's head.

"Dammit, I said cut it…that means stop the music already." She heard her girlfriend snarled over her shoulder before the pulsing pain in her head quieted. "Hey…Red?...you alright?"

Ruby hummed in answer turning her head in the direction of her voice. "That depends…should there be two of you?" she asked dry sarcasm layering her voice as she managed to open her eyes but quickly closed them again at the pain now radiating behind her eyes throwing her arm over her eyes hoping the darkness would dull the pain.

Dorothy let out a relieved sigh chuckling under her breath. "Nope sorry there's only one." She answered, "You hit your head pretty hard on your way in…" she summarized for her turning her back to Red with a curt "I'll go find some ice for your head."

"No…Don't leave…" Ruby pleaded her eyes flying open when she realized Dorothy was about to leave her "I'll be fine Dorothy I promise." She begged while her hand closed over the retreating girl's wrist pulling her back toward her wanting to have her closer.

"O…okay." She answered warily taking a step closer to the table.

"Erm…. not that I'm complaining but where did you get the new outfit Kansas?" Ruby wondered as her eyes finally re-focused on the tight-fitting sea blue and black plaid shirt and black tee shirt set along with a pair of curve-hugging jeans and well-worn riding boots the woman in front of her was now sporting instead of the dress and corset combo paired with her faded blue cloak of her Oz wardrobe she'd been wearing what seemed like minutes ago.

"Why are you looking at me like that…." She wondered glanced down at her own appearance in a snug fitting blood-red shirt under a black leather jacket with deep indigo jeans and long knee-high leather boots. "Huh, that's different." She mused softly finger combing her now butterscotch brown hair over her shoulder with her free hand while the other held onto her true love

"Dorothy, what's going on?" Ruby asked when the younger woman she was holding kept looking from her grip on her wrist then up to her eyes and back again until Red let her go.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" the younger brunet in front of her asked curiously.

"What should I call you Kansas again?" Ruby joked her smile fading when the brunet in front of her shook her head her eyes becoming cold and distant as she backed away from the table Red was still partially laying on.

"My name isn't Dorothy." She answered crossing her arms over her chest "It's Garland, Kandy Garland." she informed her popping a chewing gum bubble as if that enhanced the statement. "and second only my boyfriend gets…." She continued her tone becoming angrier the longer she talked. "Hunter I swear to Hades you keep that up I'm breaking your sticks and kicking your ass out of the band." The Dorothy clone snarled around her gum breaking off the conversation when the drummer started pounding away at the set again up on stage.

"Hunter? His…his name is Graham." Red stammered blinking away the double vision as she looked up to the now wounded looking former sheriff of the town sitting behind a drum set sporting the words ' ** _The TwisterBrooks'_** painted on the front of it while its drummer was now spinning the drumsticks between his fingers instead of playing it.

"What do you mean you'll kick him out of the band…what band?" she asked running her hands through her hair while the throbbing in her head got worse. "Hang on what the hell do you mean your **_Boy_** friend?" Ruby repeated still fighting against the nausea that was quickly building in her stomach.

"She means me."

Red already felt the tears stinging her eyes as she looked over her shoulder at the voice's owner.

Peter looked exactly like she remembered -apart from the modern-day tan shirt, ripped blue jeans and leather jacket he was wearing- he even had the scruff of a beard just as he did the night they had shared that kiss at her window back in her village.

"Bout time you got back handsome." Kandy smiled holding out her hands to him. "Yeah? Well, you acted like as soon as I'd come back you'd start clubbing me to death with Ollie's ax." Peter laughed pressing his forehead to Kandy's while their arms locked around each other as he swept the Dorothy doppelganger off her feet.

The sight of Dorothy-even a snarky clone copy of her-kissing anyone that wasn't her was enough to break Ruby's heart faster and slower than any silver arrow could ever cause her. She didn't even care that Peter was the one kissing her.

"How many times…My name is Octavius alright. It's not Ollie, or Octo, or Gus or any of the other names you guys have for me it's just Octavius," The musician beside them complained as he tapped the microphone for a soundcheck the resulting high pitched ringing pulling the wolf from having to watch the make-out fest.

Ruby didn't think she could take much more as she looked up at the newcomer. "Billy." She whispered as another tear slid down her cheek while she watched the mouse turned mechanic now turned musician while he carefully tuned the electric instrument on his lap as he sat on the very edge of the stage "and Kan you might be the lead singer of our little gang but if you touch my guitar I'm not getting you that puppy for Christmas." Octavius added pointing warningly at the couple with his guitar pick now clenched between his teeth.

"You know damned well I'm allergic Octo." Kandy growled back angrily "Keep using those names and I'm getting you two." the musician answered still tuning his guitar.

"Sure, thing **_Just_** Octavius." A deadpan tone answered while Ruby felt a tap on her shoulder. "Sorry it took so long gorgeous…" the bleached blond man smirked holding out a glass and two tablets to her. "It's just aspirin and water." He shrugged when Red looked up at him skeptically. "but if you want anything stronger…give me a call." He finished flirtatiously winking at her as she handed him the glass back when she'd downed the liquid to wash down the pills.

"Frankie, give it a rest… not every woman who walks in the door wants to sleep with you." Hunter snapped from the stage earning an eye roll from Dr. Whale as he headed back to the bar with a bitter "Killjoy." Over his shoulder at the others.

Red's head was spinning. They were all there. Every person she'd ever had any kind of romantic feelings for were all standing around her in that darkened bar.

But this was wrong. It had to be another curse or else an extremely horrible nightmare that she wasn't able to wake up from. That was the only explanation for it while Ruby had to watch while her true love and her first love fell into a passionate embrace complete with a long kiss right in front of her.

"Hey, lovebirds." The gruff annoyed tone in Graham's voice while he glared over at the still lip-locked couple made Ruby shudder as she forced her gaze away from them. "What?" Peter complained breaking the kiss reluctantly as he scowled over his girlfriend's shoulder. His confusion deepening when Billy nodded over at Ruby with a questioning look in his eyes as he held up what looked to be an application of some kind.

"You remember that audition we've been waiting on…for the backup singer…" Octavius said slowly looking up from the picture paperclipped to the pages he was looking over to the shaking woman and back "It's her." he said simply turning the application around so the three shocked onlookers could see the photo for themselves.

Ruby's eyes widened when she recognized her own handwriting covering the page in the dim lighting of the bar surprised that even in this strange upside-down world she'd landed in she still had the enhanced sight from her wolf letting her quickly read up on who she was supposed to be in this strange place she was now trapped in.

 _Name: Raven Lucas  
Family: None  
Relationship stations: Single  
Job (s) want consideration for : Backup Singer, Equipment Supervisor_

"You still want the audition Raven?" Peter asked breaking her concentration. "Yes, I do." Ruby nodded holding back the pain as she quietly bitterly accepted the truth of who she had to pretend to be until she found a way to get out of this nightmare of a new town she had landed in.

"Alright…. Great." The Peter doppelganger nodded "now you understand that 'The TwisterBrooks' is a cover band but we occasionally also do our own stuff, too right?" he continued wondering what was going on as the band applicant's eyes kept flickering to his girlfriend more than they needed to while they talked.

"Yes." Ruby lied plastering on a smile as she forced her eyes back to Peter's again. "but just so I can make sure the song I had planned will mesh…" she started hunting in her memories from her time during the first curse. "We're mainly into the alternative scene…." Kandy cut in with a shrug as she popped another gum bubble taking the application from Ollie gingerly. "Now let's see what you got." She sighed while she threw herself into the seat three rows from the stage resting her head against Peter's shoulder when he sat down beside her letting Kandy interlock their fingers while Ruby pushed herself up onto the stage.

"So, what are we playing here?" The question shook her but Red's forced smile didn't waver as she turned to Graham -no Hunter- he was Hunter now she corrected mentally while she answered with the first song that came into her head.

"'Michelle Branch - Goodbye To You"

"Odd choice…but you're the boss." The drummer shrugged. "Hey Frankie, where's our mood lights?" Octavius laughed ignoring the death look the bartender shot him as he stalked toward the soundboard at the back of the seats.

"Ready when you are beautiful." Hunter smiled as Octavius nodding in agreement beside her while Ruby wracked her brain to remember the words to the song she'd chosen.

The Song (v=NERmgwWfnoI)

 _ **Meanwhile back in Storybrooke**_

"Any change?"

Dorothy didn't even bother looking up at Snow's question as she shook her head "No and it's been hours…" she sighed rubbing her thumb over Ruby's knuckles while Toto whimpered sympathetically cuddling closer against the sleeping woman's side while his eyes were still fixed on his owner.

"I know, Wolfie's still being as stubborn as ever." She explained nodding in agreement with the dog as Dorothy leaned over the side of the bed pressing her lips against the back of Ruby's hand tenderly.

"She always has been…even when she was knee high." The gruff tone of the new voice made the Kansas native look up in surprise as she scrambled to her feet her nerves getting the better of her and making the chair topple backward onto the floor.

"Gran… I mean Mrs. Lucas." Dorothy greeted while Snow just smiled reassuringly at her from behind the older woman as she skirted around them to right the overturned chair

"Oh, just call me Granny girl everyone else does," Granny answered setting the food bags she'd been carrying on the rolling table beside Ruby's bed. "Besides you're practically family so what the need for formalities?" she smiled looking over the top of her glasses at the timid looking woman holding her granddaughter's hand.

"Now in all the time we're letting our dear Ruby sleep has anyone…" she paused looking pointedly at the farmgirl on the other side of the bed "thought of trying to wake her up with oh I don't know…. true love's kiss?"

Dorothy's heartbeat sped up while she watched the elder wolf unpacking an assortment of food from the bags while Snow was settled down on the floor pressing her back against the wall and twirling one of her arrows between her fingers just to keep from showing just how scared she really was.

"You…we were going to tell you I swear but then…" Dorothy stammered but Granny held up her hand to quiet her.

"As long as my granddaughter is happy and you're happy with her than I don't have any objections." She started pulling the extra chair closer to her side of Red's hospital bed. "But I will warn you now…you hurt my girl and I won't hesitate to settle the score…" she let the warning drop but Dorothy did feel her mouth go dry when she saw that Granny had pulled a pair of needles as well as a ball of yarn out of her bag.

A glance at Snow was enough to know that the underlying warning was the real thing as the former queen and outlaw was gaping at the woman now humming tunelessly to herself as she settled into her knitting. "Now are you going to kiss her or do you want me to shut my eyes so you don't feel so pressured?" Granny asked the room making the other two women start in surprise.

Dorothy peeked up at the humor layering the older woman's tone giving her a weak ghost of a smile in return while on the bed Toto was up and whimpering loudly his whole body quivering happily at seeing his owner happy again.

"But…. it's not a sleeping curse…she's…it's a concussion…." Dorothy stammered her blush deepening even more as her eyes dropped to the unconscious woman between them.

"Couldn't hurt to try at least." Snow interjected thoughtfully picking the dog up from the bed holding his quivering form gingerly against her chest as she looked Dorothy up and down then gave her an encouraging smiled as she returned to her place on the floor now holding Toto in her lap to give the couple a bit more privacy.

"Now can you please kiss her already…I'd hate to pull the crossbow on you already." The older wolf questioned her eyebrow raised curiously as she gave the younger woman a hard stare over the top of her glasses.

Snow was giggling behind her hand as she watched the blushing brunet bending over her best friend's bedside.

The familiar surge of magic and love whooshed over them while the monitors all around the bed went wild seconds before Ruby's eyes finally opened with a shallow gasp as Dorothy pulled back to look at her.

"Kansas?"

"Wolfie."

"You're the real one this time, right?" Red asked earning a shaky laugh and a puzzled look from Dorothy even as she nodded and leaned in pressing her forehead to Ruby's tenderly. "Don't scare me like that again okay? Please?"

"you're the real one alright." Ruby smiled threading her hand in Dorothy's hair then pulling her in for yet another even longer kiss.

Snow was beaming at them from the floor dabbing at her watery eyes with the corner of her shirt sleeve while Toto let out a series of high-pitched happy barks from beside her.


End file.
